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Subramanian S, Pamplin JC. Telemedicine for emergency patient rescue. Curr Opin Crit Care 2024; 30:217-223. [PMID: 38690953 DOI: 10.1097/mcc.0000000000001152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This article summarizes recent developments in the application of telemedicine, specifically tele-critical care (TCC), toward enhancing patient care during various types of emergencies and patient rescue scenarios when there are limited resources in terms of staff expertise (i.e., knowledge, skills, and abilities), staffing numbers, space, and supplies due to patient location (e.g., a non-ICU bed, the emergency department, a rural hospital) or patient volume as in pandemic surges. RECENT FINDINGS The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the need for rapidly scalable and agile healthcare delivery systems. During the pandemic, clinicians and hospital systems adopted telemedicine for various applications. Taking advantage of technological improvements in cellular networks and personal mobile devices, and despite the limited outcomes literature to support its use, telemedicine was rapidly adopted to address the fundamental challenge of exposure in outpatient settings, emergency departments, patient follow-up, and home-based monitoring. A critical recognition was that the modality of care (e.g., remote vs. in-person) was less important than access to care, regardless of the patient outcomes. This fundamental shift, facilitated by policies that followed emergency declarations, provided an opportunity to maintain and, in many cases, expand and improve clinical practices and hospital systems by bringing expertise to the patient rather than the patient to the expertise. In addition to using telemedicine to maintain patient access to healthcare, TCC was harnessed to provide local clinicians, forced to manage critically ill patients beyond their normal scope of practice or experience, access to remote expertise (physician, nursing, respiratory therapist, pharmacist). These practices supported decades of literature from the telemedicine community describing the effectiveness of telemedicine in improving patient care and the many challenges defining its value. SUMMARY In this review, we summarize numerous examples of innovative care delivery systems that have utilized telemedicine, focusing on 'mobile' TCC technology solutions to effectively deliver the best care to the patient regardless of patient location. We emphasize how a 'paradigm of better' can enhance the entirety of the healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremy C Pamplin
- Medicine and Emergency and Operational Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda
- Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center, Medical Research and Development Command, Ft. Detrick, Maryland, USA
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Boyle TP, Mehra A, Smith NJ, Subramanian S, Leeber J, McMahon M, Green D, Perry S, Passman D, Biddinger PD, Scott B. The First Statewide Implementation of a Regional Disaster Teleconsultation System to Expand Critical Care Surge Capacity: A Case Study in Vermont. Telemed J E Health 2024; 30:1495-1498. [PMID: 38039352 PMCID: PMC11238841 DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2023.0339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: In December 2021, the Region 1 Disaster Health Response System, the state of Vermont, and the National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network partnered to provide statewide access to disaster teleconsultations during COVID-19 surge conditions. In this case report, we describe how a disaster teleconsultation system was implemented in Vermont to provide access to temporary tele-critical care consultations during the Omicron COVID-19 surge. Methods: We measured the time from request of service to implementation and calculated descriptive statistics. Results: Seven of Vermont's 14 hospitals requested the service. Despite a technology solution capable of providing services within hours, mean time to service implementation was 27 days (interquartile range 20-41 days). Conclusions: Integration of disaster teleconsultation systems into state and local emergency management plans are needed to bring administrative start-up times in line with technical readiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tehnaz P Boyle
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Region 1 Disaster Health Response System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ashley Mehra
- National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network, Ft Detrick, Maryland, USA
- University of Cambridge, Institute of Criminology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nathanael J Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sanjay Subramanian
- National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network, Ft Detrick, Maryland, USA
| | - James Leeber
- Region 1 Disaster Health Response System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Disaster Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Maureen McMahon
- Region 1 Disaster Health Response System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Devon Green
- Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, Montpelier, Vermont, USA
| | - Sarah Perry
- Vermont Department of Health, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| | - Dina Passman
- National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network, Ft Detrick, Maryland, USA
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Strategic Planning and Response, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Paul D Biddinger
- Region 1 Disaster Health Response System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Disaster Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Benjamin Scott
- National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network, Ft Detrick, Maryland, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, Anschutz Health Sciences Campus, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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Tan S, Mills G. Designing Chinese hospital emergency departments to leverage artificial intelligence-a systematic literature review on the challenges and opportunities. FRONTIERS IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 2024; 6:1307625. [PMID: 38577009 PMCID: PMC10991761 DOI: 10.3389/fmedt.2024.1307625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) has witnessed rapid advances in the healthcare domain in recent years, especially in the emergency field, where AI is likely to radically reshape medical service delivery. Although AI has substantial potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy and operational efficiency in hospitals, research on its applications in Emergency Department building design remains relatively scarce. Therefore, this study aims to investigate Emergency Department facility design by identifying the challenges and opportunities of using AI. Two systematic literature reviews are combined, one in AI and the other in sensors, to explore their potential application to support decision-making, resource optimisation and patient monitoring. These reviews have then informed a discussion on integrating AI sensors in contemporary Emergency Department designs for use in China to support the evidence base on resuscitation units, emergency operating rooms and Emergency Department Intensive Care Unit (ED-ICU) design. We hope to inform the strategic implementation of AI sensors and how they might transform Emergency Department design to support medical staff and enhance the patient experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijie Tan
- Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Grant Mills
- Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Tucker J, Lorig F. Agent-based social simulations for health crises response: utilising the everyday digital health perspective. Front Public Health 2024; 11:1337151. [PMID: 38298258 PMCID: PMC10829493 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1337151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
There is increasing recognition of the role that artificial intelligence (AI) systems can play in managing health crises. One such approach, which allows for analysing the potential consequences of different policy interventions is agent-based social simulations (ABSS). Here, the actions and interactions of autonomous agents are modelled to generate virtual societies that can serve as a "testbed" for investigating and comparing different interventions and scenarios. This piece focuses on two key challenges of ABSS in collaborative policy interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic. These were defining valuable scenarios to simulate and the availability of appropriate data. This paper posits that drawing on the research on the "everyday" digital health perspective in designing ABSS before or during health crises, can overcome aspects of these challenges. The focus on digital health interventions reflects a rapid shift in the adoption of such technologies during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and the new challenges this poses for policy makers. It is argued that by accounting for the everyday digital health in modelling, ABSS would be a more powerful tool in future health crisis management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Tucker
- Department of Global Political Studies, Faculty of Culture and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Fabian Lorig
- Department of Computer Science and Media Technology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
- Internet of Things and People Research Center, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden
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Peng Z, Namyalo PK, Chen X, Lv M, Coyte PC. What motivates individuals to share information with governments when adopting health technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic? BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2527. [PMID: 38110945 PMCID: PMC10726615 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17437-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While digital governance has been adopted by governments around the world to assist in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effectiveness of its implementation relies on the collection and use of personal information. This study examines the willingness of individuals to engage in information-sharing with governments when adopting health technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 4,800 individuals drawn from 16 cities in China in 2021. Tobit regression models were used to assess the impacts of an array of determinants on an individual's willingness to share information with governments when adopting health technologies. RESULTS Individuals who perceived a higher level of helpfulness, risk, expectations from others, weariness toward privacy issues, and were sensitive to positive outcomes were more willing to share information with governments when adopting health technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Across all the subgroups, self-efficacy only reduced the willingness to share information with governments for individuals who spent more than seven hours per day online. The negative impacts of being sensitive to negative outcomes on the willingness to share information were only found among females and the less educated group. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed the seemingly paradoxical behavior of individuals who perceived high risks of sharing information and a sense of fatigue toward privacy issues yet continued to be willing to share their information with their governments when adopting health technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. This work highlighted significant differential motivations for sharing information with governments when using health technologies during a pandemic. Tailored policies that resonate with population sub-groups were suggested to be proposed to facilitate crisis management in future situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixuan Peng
- School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Prossy Kiddu Namyalo
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Xu Chen
- Zhejiang Provincial Philosophy and Social Sciences Pilot Laboratory, Hangzhou, China.
- Laboratory of Intelligent Society and Governance, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Mingjie Lv
- Zhejiang Provincial Philosophy and Social Sciences Pilot Laboratory, Hangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Intelligent Society and Governance, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peter C Coyte
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Sener T, Haenen W, Smits P, Hans GH. Large-scale real-life implementation of technology-enabled care to maximize hospitals' medical surge preparedness during future infectious disease outbreaks and winter seasons: a viewpoint. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1149247. [PMID: 37621607 PMCID: PMC10446840 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1149247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Hospitals can be overburdened with large numbers of patients with severe infectious conditions during infectious disease outbreaks. Such outbreaks or epidemics put tremendous pressure on the admission capacity of care facilities in the concerned region, negatively affecting the elective program within these facilities. Such situations have been observed during the recent waves of the coronavirus disease pandemic. Owing to the imminent threat of a "tripledemic" by new variants of the coronavirus disease (such as the new Omicron XBB.1.16 strain), influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus during future winter seasons, healthcare agencies should take decisive steps to safeguard hospitals' surge capacity while continuing to provide optimal and safe care to a potentially large number of patients in their trusted home environment. Preparedness of health systems for infectious diseases will require dynamic interaction between a continuous assessment of region-wide available hospital capacity and programs for intensive home treatment of patients who can spread the disease. In this viewpoint, we describe an innovative, dynamic coupling system between hospital surge capacity and cascading activation of a nationwide system for remote patient monitoring. This approach was developed using the multi-criteria decision analysis methodology, considering previously published real-life experiences on remote patient monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia Sener
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Winne Haenen
- Federal Public Service for Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Patrick Smits
- Cell Crisis Preparedness, Agentschap Zorg en Gezondheid, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guy H. Hans
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Chief Medical Officer, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Edegem, Belgium
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Li X, Zhang M. How digital health technologies promote healthy life in the Post-COVID-19 Era: evidences from national survey on Chinese adolescents and youngsters. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1135313. [PMID: 37228730 PMCID: PMC10203178 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1135313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid development of intelligent technologies coupled with the stay-at-home trends in the Post-COVID-19 Era has significantly changed youth's health behavior as well as reshaped their lifestyles. Digital health technologies (DHTs) have been more and more used for health management among youngsters. However, little was known about the use of DHTs among youths and its consequences on their health, especially in developing countries like China. Inspired by behavior intervention technology (BIT) model, this study examined the underlying mechanisms of use and social interactions of DHTs on Chinese adolescents' and youngsters' healthy lifestyles and mental health, using a representatively national survey among high school and freshman students in China (N = 2,297). It found that use of DHTs had a significantly positive effect on Chinese youths' healthy lifestyles and mental health, with behavioral regulation as a mediator. However, social interactions of DHTs were negatively associated with their mental health. The findings contribute to a better guidance on health promotion, as well as the enhanced design of DHTs' products.
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Mensah NK, Adzakpah G, Kissi J, Boadu RO, Lasim OU, Oyenike MK, Bart-Plange A, Dalaba MA, Sukums F. Health professional's readiness and factors associated with telemedicine implementation and use in selected health facilities in Ghana. Heliyon 2023; 9:e14501. [PMID: 36945351 PMCID: PMC10022178 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Telemedicine, which is the practice of medicine using technology to deliver health care remotely, has a low adoption rate in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, the advent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has forced healthcare systems in these settings to begin implementing telemedicine programs. It is unknown how prepared health professionals and the healthcare system are to adopt this technology. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the readiness of health professionals and explore factors associated with telemedicine implementation in Ghana. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in six health facilities between March and August 2021. Convenience sampling was used to select the six health facilities, and the participants were selected randomly for the study. Questionnaires were self-completed by participants. Data was exported into STATA 15.0 for analysis, and appropriate statistical methods were employed. All statistical tests were performed at a significance level of p < 0.05. Results Of the 613 health professionals involved in the study, about 579 (94.5%) were comfortable using computers, and the majority, 503 (82.1%) of them, had access to computers at the workplace. Health professionals agreed that the measures outlined by the health facilities supported their readiness to use telemedicine for healthcare services. Analysis revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between health facilities' core readiness and health professionals' readiness, with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.5484 and a p-value<0.0001. Of the factors associated with health professionals' readiness towards telemedicine implementation, facility core readiness, engagement readiness, staff knowledge and attitude readiness showed a statistically significant relationship with health professionals' readiness. Conclusion The study revealed that health professionals are ready to adopt telemedicine. There was a statistically significant relationship between health facilities' core readiness, engagement readiness, staff knowledge and attitude readiness, and health professionals' readiness. The study identified factors facilitating telemedicine adoption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Kumasenu Mensah
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Health Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Godwin Adzakpah
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Health Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Jonathan Kissi
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Health Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Richard Okyere Boadu
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Health Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Obed Uwumbornyi Lasim
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Health Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Martha Khainde Oyenike
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Health Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Abigail Bart-Plange
- Department of Health Information Management, School of Allied Health Science, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | | | - Felix Sukums
- Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Box 65001, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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Yang K, Li Y, Qi H. Determinants of and Willingness to Use and Pay for Digital Health Technologies Among the Urban Elderly in Hangzhou, China. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2023; 16:463-478. [PMID: 37007299 PMCID: PMC10064872 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s393767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose In recent years, little research has been conducted on the willingness to use and pay for digital health technologies for elderly people. Thus, this study investigates the willingness to use and pay for digital health technologies and their influential factors among urban elderly in Hangzhou, China. Methods A structured questionnaire was completed by 639 older adults from 12 communities in Hangzhou. This paper presents a descriptive statistics analysis and performs a multivariate regression to identify the determinants of willingness to use and pay for digital health technologies among the elderly. Results The result shows the percentage of participants who chose very willing (3.6%) and partly willing (10%) to use was lower than those who were less unwilling (26.4%) and not willing (27.1%) to use. The percentage of participants who are unwilling (less unwilling,30.5%; not willing, 39.7%) to pay for digital health technology is even higher. The regression results show that age, working status, exercise and physical activity, medical insurance, income, life satisfaction and history of illness were significantly associated with willingness to use digital health technology among urban elderly. On the other hand, age, exercise status, income and history of illness were significantly associated with willingness to pay for digital health technologies among older adults. Conclusion The overall willingness to use and pay for digital health technologies are low among urban older people living in Hangzhou. Our results have important implications for digital health policy making. Practitioner and regulator should develop strategies to improve the supply of digital health technology services to meet different demands of the elderly with different age, working status, exercise and physical activity, medical insurance, income, life satisfaction and history of illness. And medical insurance would be an important instrument to facilitate digital health development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keng Yang
- Institute of Economics, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- One Belt-One Road Strategy Institute, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Li
- Wuyi University, Jiangmen, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hanying Qi
- The New Type Key Think Tank of Zhejiang Province “China Research Institute of Regulation and Public Policy”, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- China Institute of Regulation Research, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Hanying Qi, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, 310018, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 151 5802 5275, Email
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Mavragani A, Kyriopoulos I, Wong BLH, Mossialos E. The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Digital Health-Seeking Behavior: Big Data Interrupted Time-Series Analysis of Google Trends. J Med Internet Res 2023; 25:e42401. [PMID: 36603152 PMCID: PMC9848442 DOI: 10.2196/42401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to the emergency responses early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of digital health in health care increased abruptly. However, it remains unclear whether this introduction was sustained in the long term, especially with patients being able to decide between digital and traditional health services once the latter regained their functionality throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE We aim to understand how the public interest in digital health changed as proxy for digital health-seeking behavior and to what extent this change was sustainable over time. METHODS We used an interrupted time-series analysis of Google Trends data with break points on March 11, 2020 (declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the World Health Organization), and December 20, 2020 (the announcement of the first COVID-19 vaccines). Nationally representative time-series data from February 2019 to August 2021 were extracted from Google Trends for 6 countries with English as their dominant language: Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland. We measured the changes in relative search volumes of the keywords online doctor, telehealth, online health, telemedicine, and health app. In doing so, we capture the prepandemic trend, the immediate change due to the announcement of COVID-19 being a pandemic, and the gradual change after the announcement. RESULTS Digital health search volumes immediately increased in all countries under study after the announcement of COVID-19 being a pandemic. There was some variation in what keywords were used per country. However, searches declined after this immediate spike, sometimes reverting to prepandemic levels. The announcement of COVID-19 vaccines did not consistently impact digital health search volumes in the countries under study. The exception is the search volume of health app, which was observed as either being stable or gradually increasing during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the increased public interest in digital health associated with the pandemic did not sustain, alluding to remaining structural barriers. Further building of digital health capacity and developing robust digital health governance frameworks remain crucial to facilitating sustainable digital health transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ilias Kyriopoulos
- LSE Health, Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom
| | - Brian Li Han Wong
- Department of International Health, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Steering Committee, Digital Health Section, European Public Health Association, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Elias Mossialos
- LSE Health, Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Russo-Spena T, Mele C, Cavacece Y, Ebraico S, Dantas C, Roseiro P, van Staalduinen W. Enabling Value Co-Creation in Healthcare through Blockchain Technology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:67. [PMID: 36612386 PMCID: PMC9819921 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to manage complex relations within the healthcare ecosystem. The role of new technologies in achieving this goal is a topic of current interest. Among them, blockchain technology is experiencing widespread application in the healthcare context. The present work investigates how this technology fosters value co-creation paths in the new digital healthcare ecosystems. To this end, a multiple case study has been conducted examining the development and application of blockchain by 32 healthcare tech companies. The results show blockchain technology adoption's current and potential impacts on value co-creation regarding data and resource sharing, patient participation, and collaboration between professionals. Three main areas of activity emerge from the case studies where blockchain implementation brings significant benefits for value co-creation: improving service interaction, impacting actors' engagement, and fostering ecosystem transparency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Russo-Spena
- Department of Economics, Management, Institutions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia Monte S. Angelo, 80126 Naplese, Italy
| | - Cristina Mele
- Department of Economics, Management, Institutions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia Monte S. Angelo, 80126 Naplese, Italy
| | - Ylenia Cavacece
- Department of Economics, Management, Institutions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia Monte S. Angelo, 80126 Naplese, Italy
| | - Sara Ebraico
- Department of Economics, Management, Institutions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia Monte S. Angelo, 80126 Naplese, Italy
| | | | - Pedro Roseiro
- TICE.PT—The Portuguese National ICT Cluster, Campus Universitário de Santiago (IT), 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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Digitalization impacts the COVID-19 pandemic and the stringency of government measures. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21628. [PMID: 36517489 PMCID: PMC9749635 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24726-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 poses a significant burden to populations worldwide. Although the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation, little is known about the influence of digitalization on pandemic developments. Therefore, this country-level study aims to explore the impact of pre-pandemic digital adoption on COVID-19 outcomes and government measures. Using the Digital Adoption Index (DAI), we examined the association between countries' digital preparedness levels and COVID-19 cases, deaths, and stringency indices (SI) of government measures until March 2021. Gradient Tree Boosting based algorithm pinpointed essential features related to COVID-19 trends, such as digital adoption, populations' smoker fraction, age, and poverty. Subsequently, regression analyses indicated that higher DAI was associated with significant declines in new cases (β = - 362.25/pm; p < 0.001) and attributed deaths (β = - 5.53/pm; p < 0.001) months after the peak. When plotting DAI against the SI normalized for the starting day, countries with higher DAI adopted slightly more stringent government measures (β = 4.86; p < 0.01). Finally, a scoping review identified 70 publications providing valuable arguments for our findings. Countries with higher DAI before the pandemic show a positive trend in handling the pandemic and facilitate the implementation of more decisive governmental measures. Further distribution of digital adoption may have the potential to attenuate the impact of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
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Abstract
Public health measures associated with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have accelerated the adoption of virtual health care across Canada. We explore the opportunities that virtual care presents in achieving the Quadruple Aim and challenges to navigate, through the lens of care for older adults. In particular, we recommend virtual care-related policies related to older adults that address (a) limited uptake among the socio-economically disadvantaged, (b) user-centered design of virtual care technologies, and (c) integration of iterative evaluations to ensure equitable and efficient achievement of desired outcomes. As virtual care accelerates forward, we must not leave older Canadians behind.
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Kwasnicka D, Keller J, Perski O, Potthoff S, Ten Hoor GA, Ainsworth B, Crutzen R, Dohle S, van Dongen A, Heino M, Henrich JF, Knox L, König LM, Maltinsky W, McCallum C, Nalukwago J, Neter E, Nurmi J, Spitschan M, Van Beurden SB, Van der Laan LN, Wunsch K, Levink JJJ, Sanderman R. White Paper: Open Digital Health - accelerating transparent and scalable health promotion and treatment. Health Psychol Rev 2022; 16:475-491. [PMID: 35240931 DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2022.2046482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In this White Paper, we outline recommendations from the perspective of health psychology and behavioural science, addressing three research gaps: (1) What methods in the health psychology research toolkit can be best used for developing and evaluating digital health tools? (2) What are the most feasible strategies to reuse digital health tools across populations and settings? (3) What are the main advantages and challenges of sharing (openly publishing) data, code, intervention content and design features of digital health tools? We provide actionable suggestions for researchers joining the continuously growing Open Digital Health movement, poised to revolutionise health psychology research and practice in the coming years. This White Paper is positioned in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring how digital health tools have rapidly gained popularity in 2020-2022, when world-wide health promotion and treatment efforts rapidly shifted from face-to-face to remote delivery. This statement is written by the Directors of the not-for-profit Open Digital Health initiative (n = 6), Experts attending the European Health Psychology Society Synergy Expert Meeting (n = 17), and the initiative consultant, following a two-day meeting (19-20th August 2021).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Kwasnicka
- NHMRC CRE in Digital Technology to Transform Chronic Disease Outcomes, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.,Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jan Keller
- Department of Education and Psychology; Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Olga Perski
- Department of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sebastian Potthoff
- Department of Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Gill A Ten Hoor
- Department of Work & Social Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ben Ainsworth
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Rik Crutzen
- Department of Health Promotion, Maastricht University/CAPHRI, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Simone Dohle
- Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany and Institute of General Practice and Family Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Anne van Dongen
- Department of Psychology, Health, and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Matti Heino
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Julia F Henrich
- Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Institute of Psychology, Unit of Health-, Medical- and Neuropsychology, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Liam Knox
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Laura M König
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Wendy Maltinsky
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Division of Psychology, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Claire McCallum
- Centre for Digital Health and Care, Faculty of Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Judith Nalukwago
- Center for Communication Programs, USAID-Social and Behavior Change Activity, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Efrat Neter
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Emeq Hefer, Israel
| | - Johanna Nurmi
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,University of Cambridge, Behavioural Science Group, Primary Care Unit, Institute of Public Health, Forvie Site, Cambridge, UK
| | - Manuel Spitschan
- TUM Department of Sport and Health Sciences (TUM SG), Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany and Translational Sensory and Circadian Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - L Nynke Van der Laan
- Department of Communication and Cognition, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Kathrin Wunsch
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Jasper J J Levink
- Levink Life Sciences BV & Stichting Feniks Ontwikkelingsbegeleiding, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Robbert Sanderman
- Department of Psychology, Health, and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.,Department of Health Psychology, University Medical Center Groningen University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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15
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Aisyah DN, Manikam L, Kiasatina T, Naman M, Adisasmito W, Kozlakidis Z. The Use of a Health Compliance Monitoring System During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia: Evaluation Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2022; 8:e40089. [PMID: 36219836 PMCID: PMC9683531 DOI: 10.2196/40089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19 cases are soaring in Asia. Indonesia, Southeast Asia's most populous country, is now ranked second in the number of cases and deaths in Asia, after India. The compliance toward mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing needs to be monitored to assess public behavioral changes that can reduce transmission. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate this compliance in Indonesia between October 2020 and May 2021 and demonstrate the use of the Bersatu Lawan COVID-19 (BLC) mobile app in monitoring this compliance. METHODS Data were collected in real time by the BLC app from reports submitted by personnel of military services, police officers, and behavioral change ambassadors. Subsequently, the data were analyzed automatically by the system managed by the Indonesia National Task Force for the Acceleration of COVID-19 Mitigation. RESULTS Between October 1, 2020, and May 2, 2021, the BLC app generated more than 165 million reports, with 469 million people monitored and 124,315,568 locations under observation in 514 districts/cities in 34 provinces in Indonesia. This paper grouped them into 4 colored zones, based on the degree of compliance, and analyzed variations among regions and locations. CONCLUSIONS Compliance rates vary among the 34 provinces and among the districts and cities of those provinces. However, compliance to mask wearing seems slightly higher than social distancing. This finding suggests that policy makers need to promote higher compliance in other measures, including social distancing and hand washing, whose efficacies have been proven to break the chain of transmission when combined with masks wearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dewi Nur Aisyah
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Indonesia One Health University Network, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Logan Manikam
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Aceso Global Health Consultants Pte Limited, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
| | | | - Maryan Naman
- Aceso Global Health Consultants Pte Limited, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Wiku Adisasmito
- Indonesia One Health University Network, Depok, Indonesia
- Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Zisis Kozlakidis
- International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, Lyon, France
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16
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Jin Z(J, Wang Z. Operational and Financial Impacts of Digital Health Technology: A Study on Canadian Healthcare System during the COVID-19 Pandemic. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15025. [PMID: 36429743 PMCID: PMC9690613 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
During COVID-19, hospital capacity was significantly reduced to limit the spread of the pandemic. The limitations affected the efficiency of service delivery. We examined the effects of pandemic-related challenges on patient experience and hypothesize that digital health implementation increased patient satisfaction. We surveyed nationally aggregated data in hospital occupancy, hospital funding and patient experience, and plotted their correlation. We found digital health to contribute to patient experience and service-delivery effectiveness. We evaluate the benefits of digital health in context of hospital service delivery. Post-COVID-19, we recommend a continued implementation of digital health and offer suggestions to further improve its efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zixin (Jessie) Jin
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Havergal College, Toronto, ON M5N 2H9, Canada
| | - Zongjie Wang
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3M2, Canada
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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17
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Telemedicine to Expand Access to Critical Care Around the World. Crit Care Clin 2022; 38:809-826. [PMID: 36162912 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccc.2022.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This multiauthored communication gives a state-of-the-art global perspective on the increasing adoption of tele-critical care. Exponentially increasing sophistication in the deployment of Computers, Information, and Communication Technology has ensured extending the reach of limited intensivists virtually and reaching the unreached. Natural disasters, COVID-19 pandemic, and wars have made tele-intensive care a reality. Concerns and regulatory issues are being sorted out, cross-border cost-effective tele-critical care is steadily increasing Components to set up a tele-intensive care unit, and overcoming barriers is discussed. Importance of developing best practice guidelines and retraining is emphasized.
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18
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess recent advances in interfacility critical care transport. DATA SOURCES PubMed English language publications plus chapters and professional organization publications. STUDY SELECTION Manuscripts including practice manuals and standard (1990-2021) focused on interfacility transport of critically ill patients. DATA EXTRACTION Review of society guidelines, legislative requirements, objective measures of outcomes, and transport practice standards occurred in work groups assessing definitions and foundations of interfacility transport, transport team composition, and transport specific considerations. Qualitative analysis was performed to characterize current science regarding interfacility transport. DATA SYNTHESIS The Task Force conducted an integrative review of 496 manuscripts combined with 120 from the authors' collections including nonpeer reviewed publications. After title and abstract screening, 40 underwent full-text review, of which 21 remained for qualitative synthesis. CONCLUSIONS Since 2004, there have been numerous advances in critical care interfacility transport. Clinical deterioration may be mitigated by appropriate patient selection, pretransport optimization, and transport by a well-resourced team and vehicle. There remains a dearth of high-quality controlled studies, but notable advances in monitoring, en route management, transport modality (air vs ground), as well as team composition and training serve as foundations for future inquiry. Guidance from professional organizations remains uncoupled from enforceable regulations, impeding standardization of transport program quality assessment and verification.
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19
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Ries M. Global key concepts of civil-military cooperation for disaster management in the COVID-19 pandemic-A qualitative phenomenological scoping review. Front Public Health 2022; 10:975667. [PMID: 36187698 PMCID: PMC9521329 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.975667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In the context of a holistic and comprehensive disaster response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries across the globe mobilized their military forces in order to cope with sudden and exponential surges of critically ill patients with COVID-19 in stretched healthcare systems. Objective The purpose of this work is to identify, map, and render world-wide key concepts of civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) in disaster management during the COVID-19 crisis visible. Material and methods Literature was systematically searched in three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) on 26 January 2022, and analyzed with qualitative, mixed narrative-phenomenological methods in compliance with PRISM-ScR and SRQR. Results Forty-five publications were included in the analysis; pertinent authors were from 22 countries covering five continents. We identified three key thematic clusters in the published literature: Cluster (1) Medico-scientific contributions with the participation of military medical personnel or institutions: members of the military acted as subject matter experts, clinical and experimental (co-) investigators as well as co-founders for enabling COVID-19 relevant research. Areas covered were relevant to the COVID-19 patient's clinical journey from prevention, exposure, diagnostics, and treatment and included pertinent fields such as digital health and telemedicine, global and public health, critical care, emergency and disaster medicine, radiology, neurology, as well as other medical specialties, i.e., respiratory care, pulmonology, burn medicine, and transfusion medicine, in addition to environmental and occupational sciences as well as materials science. Cluster (2) CIMIC field experiences or analyses included areas such as political framework, strategy, structure, nature of civil-military interaction, and concrete mission reports in selected countries. Themes covered a broad spectrum of pandemic disaster management subjects such as capacity and surge capacity building, medical and pharmaceutical logistics, patient care under austere circumstances, SARS-CoV-2 testing support, intelligent and innovative information management, vaccination support, and disaster communication. Cluster (3) The military as a role model for crisis management. Conclusion Civil-military cooperation made a significant contribution to the level of resilience in crisis management on a global scale, positively impacting a broad spectrum of core abilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Ries
- Pediatric Neurology and Metabolic Medicine, Center for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center for Virtual Patients, Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- CIMIC District Liaison Command Heidelberg, 3rd Medical Regiment, German Federal Armed Forces, Dornstadt, Germany
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20
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The platform development, adherence and efficacy to a digital Brief therapy for insomnia (dBTI) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods 2022; 205:39-45. [PMID: 35526723 PMCID: PMC9070004 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2022.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Brief therapy for insomnia (BTI) is a short-term cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. At present, there is no study combining BTI with digital technology. However, in the context of the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), patients with acute insomnia may need an online treatment which can quickly improve insomnia symptoms. Our team built a digital BTI (dBTI) platform based on the WeChat mini program. This research provides a framework design and a course design of dBTI, and evaluates the system via recruiting participants suffering from acute insomnia in pandemic. What's more, it explores patients' adherence, the efficiency of the system and their relationship. As the result demonstrates, 68% of participants have completed more than half of the course with medium to high adherence. Gender, pre-sleep arousal scale (PSAS) somatic score and insomnia severity index (ISI) score have affected participants' adherence, and higher adherence has led to better improvement in the severity of insomnia and somatic pre-sleep arousal. It is proved that the platform we built is effective, which not only offers an entry point for the study of how to set up a dBTI platform, but also provides theoretical basis for its clinical application.
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21
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Luo X, Wu Y, Niu L, Huang L. Bibliometric Analysis of Health Technology Research: 1990~2020. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:9044. [PMID: 35897415 PMCID: PMC9330553 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
This paper aims to summarize the publishing trends, current status, research topics, and frontier evolution trends of health technology between 1990 and 2020 through various bibliometric analysis methods. In total, 6663 articles retrieved from the Web of Science core database were analyzed by Vosviewer and CiteSpace software. This paper found that: (1) The number of publications in the field of health technology increased exponentially; (2) there is no stable core group of authors in this research field, and the influence of the publishing institutions and journals in China is insufficient compared with those in Europe and the United States; (3) there are 21 core research topics in the field of health technology research, and these research topics can be divided into four classes: hot spots, potential hot spots, margin topics, and mature topics. C21 (COVID-19 prevention) and C10 (digital health technology) are currently two emerging research topics. (4) The number of research frontiers has increased in the past five years (2016-2020), and the research directions have become more diverse; rehabilitation, pregnancy, e-health, m-health, machine learning, and patient engagement are the six latest research frontiers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lucheng Huang
- College of Economics and Management, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China; (X.L.); (Y.W.); (L.N.)
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22
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Summers C, Griffiths F, Cave J, Panesar A. Understanding the Security and Privacy Concerns About the Use of Identifiable Health Data in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Survey Study of Public Attitudes Toward COVID-19 and Data-Sharing. JMIR Form Res 2022; 6:e29337. [PMID: 35609306 PMCID: PMC9273043 DOI: 10.2196/29337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic increased the availability and use of population and individual health data to optimize tracking and analysis of the spread of the virus. Many health care services have had to rapidly digitalize in order to maintain the continuity of care provision. Data collection and dissemination have provided critical support for defending against the spread of the virus since the beginning of the pandemic; however, little is known about public perceptions of and attitudes toward the use, privacy, and security of data. Objective The goal of this study is to better understand people’s willingness to share data in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A web-based survey was conducted on individuals’ use of and attitudes toward health data for individuals aged 18 years and older, and in particular, with a reported diagnosis of a chronic health condition placing them at the highest risk of severe COVID-19. Results In total, 4764 individuals responded to this web-based survey, of whom 4674 (98.1%) reported a medical diagnosis of at least 1 health condition (3 per person on average), with type 2 diabetes (n=2974, 62.7%), hypertension (n=2147, 45.2%), and type 1 diabetes (n=1299, 27.4%) being most prominent in our sample. In general, more people are comfortable with sharing anonymized data than personally identifiable data. People reported feeling comfortable sharing data that were able to benefit others; 66% (3121 respondents) would share personal identifiable data if its primary purpose was deemed beneficial for the health of others. Almost two-thirds (n=3026; 63.9%) would consent to sharing personal, sensitive health data with government or health authority organizations. Conversely, over a quarter of respondents (n=1297, 27.8%) stated that they did not trust any organization to protect their data, and 54% (n=2528) of them reported concerns about the implications of sharing personal information. Almost two-thirds (n=3054, 65%) of respondents were concerned about the provisions of appropriate legislation that seeks to prevent data misuse and hold organizations accountable in the case of data misuse. Conclusions Although our survey focused mainly on the views of those living with chronic health conditions, the results indicate that data sensitivity is highly contextual. More people are more comfortable with sharing anonymized data rather than personally identifiable data. Willingness to share data also depended on the receiving body, highlighting trust as a key theme, in particular who may have access to shared personal health data and how they may be used in the future. The nascency of legal guidance in this area suggests a need for humanitarian guidelines for data responsibility during disaster relief operations such as pandemics and for involving the public in their development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Frances Griffiths
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Cave
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Department of Economics, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Data Ethics Group, The Alan Turing Institute, London, United Kingdom
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23
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New Direction of Sustainable Urbanization: The Impact of Digital Technologies and Policies on China’s In Situ Urbanization. BUILDINGS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/buildings12070882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
As part of the process of sustainable urban planning in China, digital technologies have led to major practical and academic concerns. However, few scholars have focused on the impact of digital technologies on in situ urbanization from a policy–technology perspective. This interdisciplinary work aims to analyze how digital policies and their technologies contribute to the transformation of in situ urbanization patterns. This study follows the structure of law and policy research regarding the path of phenomenon presentation–institutional analysis–limitation interpretation. First, the legislation and policies for digitalization of the countryside has drastically changed the logic of how traditional in situ urbanization works. The concept of in situ urbanization 2.0 is used to describe this new phenomenon. Second, historical legitimacy, performance legitimacy, and socially sustainable reproduction are three reasons why rural digitalization reform has triggered in situ urbanization 2.0. Finally, the double dilemma of overreliance on technological change in the in situ urbanization 2.0 process is pointed out; these dilemmas need to be addressed through legislation and policy adjustments. Four recommendations for action are proposed to address these dilemmas. The findings of this research contribute to the literature on sustainable urban planning and rural digitalization reform.
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24
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Remote monitoring in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and acute mechanical circulatory support. Curr Opin Crit Care 2022; 28:308-314. [PMID: 35653252 DOI: 10.1097/mcc.0000000000000949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To provide an overview of the role of remote monitoring tools in management of critically-ill patients requiring acute mechanical circulatory support (MCS). RECENT FINDINGS Tele-critical care systems have received new interest during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has stretched the capacity of health systems everywhere. At the same time, utilization of MCS and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technologies has increased during the pandemic. The opportunity for remote monitoring and clinical decision support for ECMO and acute MCS devices has been recognized by industry partners, with several major platforms implementing technology infrastructure for it in available products. Healthcare systems face challenges interfacing multiple devices from multiple manufacturers with each other and with their designated electronic health records. Furthermore, the availability of data must be combined with algorithms for alerting on clinical events and with implementation systems to act upon these alerts. Studies are not yet published validating remote monitoring platforms for ECMO and MCS in clinical care. SUMMARY Remote monitoring for MCS devices represents a major opportunity for further investigation to improve the utilization of these devices and better serve patients.
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Kemp Van Ee S, McKelvey H, Williams T, Shao B, Lin WT, Luu J, Sunny D, Kumar S, Narayan S, Urdaneta A, Perez L, Schwab H, Riegle S, Jacobs RJ. Telemedicine Intensive Care Unit (Tele-ICU) Implementation During COVID-19: A Scoping Review. Cureus 2022; 14:e25133. [PMID: 35746989 PMCID: PMC9206410 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.25133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Telemedicine intensive care unit (Tele-ICU) programs entail command centers staffed with intensivists and critical care nurses who electronically aid with and deliver real-time information to frontline clinicians. The benefits of Tele-ICU are numerous, but the barriers to it often prove insurmountable, accounting for slow adoption in rural and underserved areas where it is needed the most. Remote monitoring can quickly detect patient deterioration, while consultation provided by a remote intensivist expands the capabilities of smaller facilities. The emergence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has brought about a sense of urgency, paving the way for the successful adaptation of tele-intensive care concepts. The goal of this scoping review is to map out the available published data regarding healthcare professionals’ experiences with implementing Tele-ICU modalities during the COVID-19 pandemic. A primary literature search was performed on PubMed/MEDLINE and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases from October 2020 to October 2021. Of the 1,083 records screened, 19 were identified as meeting our inclusion criteria and selected for the final scoping review. Five major areas of Tele-ICU use were identified: teleconsultation, telerounding, telemonitoring, family visitation via teleconference, and changing of hospital infrastructure. A heterogeneous mix of improvised Tele-ICU platforms emerged with a common theme of interdisciplinary and family collaboration in the care of critically ill patients. Existing Tele-ICU systems were expanded, and novel programs were launched. A groundbreaking national network in the U.S. (NETCCN) will standardize the deployment of Tele-ICU and expand its reach. Future research should focus on determining accurate costs and the most reliable forms of remote communication, physician compact agreement licensure, the practical composition of Tele-ICU teams, and standardized access to the electronic health record.
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26
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Kokol P, Blažun Vošner H, Kokol M, Završnik J. Role of Agile in Digital Public Health Transformation. Front Public Health 2022; 10:899874. [PMID: 35646754 PMCID: PMC9134062 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.899874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The digitalisation of healthcare, fueled by advances in technology and the COVID-19 pandemic can not only empower equitable access to global expert-level healthcare but also make healthcare more patient-centric. Every digital health solution has one common fundamental component: they all run on computing platforms and are powered by complex software. Traditional software development life cycles have often failed in designing complex software; consequently, the agile approach was introduced. To assess the role of agile in digital public health transformation, we used the synthetic knowledge synthesis, a triangulation of bibliometric mapping, and thematic analysis to analyse the available literature harvested from PubMed. The analysis showed that the use of the agile approach is underutilised in developing digital health software. Moreover, the study revealed that health organisations did not yet embrace the agile culture and should adapt using innovative agile solutions to deliver clinical value to patients and public health systems. Following the software industry, where agile software development is becoming the mainstream approach also for sensitive and regulated software, it is becoming even more essential that the digital health software development process should be modernised. Furthermore, a shift to agile collaboration, agile decision-making, trial tolerance, active engagement, purposeful technology adoption, knowledge sharing, and an open agile innovation ecosystem must be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kokol
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Peter Kokol
| | - Helena Blažun Vošner
- Community Healthcare Center Dr. Adolf Drolc Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea, Maribor, Slovenia
- Faculty of Health and Social Sciences Slovenj Gradec, Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia
| | - Marko Kokol
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Semantika Research, Semantika d.o.o., Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Jernej Završnik
- Community Healthcare Center Dr. Adolf Drolc Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Alma Mater Europaea, Maribor, Slovenia
- Science and Research Centre, Koper, Slovenia
- Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
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Jones T, Marimuthu K, Bearman G. Virtual Infection Prevention and Control in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Int J Infect Dis 2022; 117:93-96. [PMID: 35121123 PMCID: PMC8806406 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.01.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 brought new challenges and opportunities for infection prevention and control. Virtual infection prevention and control (VIPC), although nascent, is rapidly becoming a viable and necessary strategy for combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. Benefits of VIPC include extending the impact of globally scarce infectious disease providers and public health practitioners, allowing coordination between disparate professionals to more effectively combat infectious disease, and increasing access to and quality of healthcare. Although mainly applied in developed countries, VIPC may play its greatest role in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with fewer healthcare resources. We conducted a brief literature search of VIPC in LMICs and found that many studies describe solutions in developed countries or describe planned or theoretical solutions. Few studies describe actual VIPC implementation in LMICs, except for China. Literature from related fields, for example, virtual critical care, and from developed countries is more robust and provides a roadmap for future research on VIPC in LMICs. Further research into strategies and outcomes related to VIPC in LMICs is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Jones
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
| | - Kalisvar Marimuthu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Tan Tock Seng Hospital; HAI surveillance unit, National Centre for Infectious Diseases; Infection Prevention and Control Office, Woodlands Health Campus; Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
| | - Gonzalo Bearman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia
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Doctor-Patient Relationship in Synchronous/Real-time Video-Consultations and In-Person Visits: An Investigation of the Perceptions of Young People with Type 1 Diabetes and Their Parents During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Behav Med 2022; 29:638-647. [PMID: 35076861 PMCID: PMC8788397 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-021-10047-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Given that the widely acknowledged influence of the doctor-patient relationship on objective health parameters and treatment adherence in chronic illnesses, this study sought to explore how patients perceived the patient-doctor relationship across virtual and in-person contexts. Methods Parents’ and patients’ perceptions of doctor-patient relationship were evaluated in 610 children and adolescents (12.17 ± 4.19 years, 50.9% girls) with type 1 diabetes who visited via video-conferencing or in person during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results No differences were found between video consultations and in-person visits in terms of care satisfaction (p > .05), doctor-patient relationship—for the dimensions agreement on tasks (p = .506) and bond (p = .828)—as perceived by parents and physician empathy as perceived by patients (p = .096). Parents rated patient-doctor agreement on explicit goals of treatment higher in video consultation than in person (p = .009, d = .211). Agreement on goals (β = − .180, p = .016) and bond with doctor (β = − .160, p = .034) were negatively and significantly associated with HbA1c values, but only in participants who visited in person. Conclusions Parents’ care satisfaction and perceptions of doctor-patient relationship, along with patients’ perceptions of physician empathy, did not substantially differ between visits carried out in person or via video consultations. Given the high risk of psychological problems described in young people with diabetes, video consultation can be considered a useful opportunity to maintain access to a healthcare provider in a challenging time, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12529-021-10047-5.
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The changing role of innovation for crisis management in times of COVID-19: An integrative literature review. JOURNAL OF INNOVATION & KNOWLEDGE 2022; 7. [PMCID: PMC9574940 DOI: 10.1016/j.jik.2022.100281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries have concentrated on developing policies that encourage the creation of more innovative products and services in response to the global health emergency. Effective collaboration, communication, and Open Innovation (OI) among government entities, education and research institutions, and the private sector have been critical to each country's overall effectiveness during the economic crisis. The objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between innovation and COVID-19 critically to have a better understanding of future research and practice developments. A systematic evaluation was conducted, analyzing papers on innovation and the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 218 studies were analyzed to determine the essential research directions in this domain. Our suggested framework is made of aggregate components, which include technology adaption, sustainable development, healthcare, and sustainable economic performance. These components form the basis for the identification of emerging research hotspots in the field of COVID and innovation, as well as frame the COVID-19 issue as an opportunity to raise awareness about the crucial role of innovation in business and society at large.
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Telehealth readiness and its influencing factors among Chinese clinical nurses: A cross-sectional study. Nurse Educ Pract 2021; 58:103278. [PMID: 34954659 DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
AIM/OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess telehealth readiness among clinical nurses in China and explore the factors that affect their telehealth readiness and the relationships of telehealth readiness and telehealth practice-related variables. BACKGROUND Telehealth is a new service model that uses information and communication technology to provide professional health care services for resource-poor areas. With the global spread of COVID-19, nurses urgently need to adapt and apply telehealth technology to replace conventional face-to-face treatment. However, nurse-led telehealth services in China are currently only in the pilot phase and the readiness of clinical nurses needs to be assessed to facilitate successful telehealth implementation. DESIGN A cross-sectional, multicentre study was undertaken with the questionnaire survey method. METHODS Data were collected in October-December 2020 used online questionnaires. A convenience sample of 3386 nurses from 19 hospitals in China completed the Chinese version of Telehealth Readiness Assessment Tools. RESULTS The mean score of the telehealth readiness was in the category between 61 and 80 points (mean 61.23, SD 11.61). The percentages of nurses meeting the following levels of telehealth readiness were as follows: low (49.9%), moderate (42.0%) and high (8.1%). Significantly higher domain scores were recorded for nurses in the unmarried, head of responsible nursing group. Moreover, there were positive correlations between telehealth readiness level and service experience, service willingness, mode cognition, manpower allocation and policy guidance. CONCLUSIONS There are still many factors hindering the successful implementation of telehealth. Nursing educators should formulate telehealth education curriculum and service standards to improve the telehealth readiness of nurses.
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Mousavi SM, Takian A, Tara M. Sixteen years of eHealth experiences in Iran: a qualitative content analysis of national policies. Health Res Policy Syst 2021; 19:146. [PMID: 34895250 PMCID: PMC8665305 DOI: 10.1186/s12961-021-00795-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As a building block of all health systems and a multi-sectoral domain, eHealth has a critical role to accelerate the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly universal health coverage (UHC). Our objective was to provide a better understanding of the recent experiences on eHealth policy, particularly in framing process of the policies and strategies, in an attempt to develop evidence-based recommendations that can inform future eHealth policy formulation, implementation, and development in Iran. METHODS We undertook an exploratory, descriptive, comparative, retrospective and longitudinal analysis of eHealth policies by using content analysis of upstream and other key national policy documents, guided by criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ). A systematic and purposive search was conducted to identify publicly-accessible documents related to eHealth policies in Iran, followed by in-depth, semi-structured, open-ended interviews with purposefully identified national key informants in the field of eHealth. MAXQDA® 12 was used to assist with qualitative data analysis. FINDINGS We retrieved and included 13 national policy documents demonstrating 16 years experiences of recorded eHealth policy in Iran, from 2004-2020. Our analysis revealed seven main categories as challenges of eHealth policies in Iran: (1) lack of comprehensive and big picture of all eHealth components; (2) lack of long-term and strategic plans on eHealth; (3) poor consistency among national policy documents; (4) unrealistic and non-operational timing of policy documents; (5) inappropriate identification and lack of involvement of key actors in development and implementation of eHealth policies; (6) low priority of eHealth in the national health system, and (7) unconventional focus and attention to Electronic Health Record (EHR). CONCLUSION The findings reveal almost two decades history of eHealth initiatives at the national and upstream policy level in Iran, with noticeable gaps between desired policies and achieved expectations. The inclusion of eHealth solutions in the policy documents has been controversial and challenging. eHealth seems to have not been meaningfully established in the minds and views of policy makers and senior manager, which might have led to the development of incomplete and contradictory policies. The health system in Iran needs, we advocate, the design of an evidence-informed eHealth roadmap, as well as continuous, systematic, and reasonably time-bounded strategic plans to establish eHealth as the building block of health system along the pathway towards sustainable health development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyyed Meysam Mousavi
- Management and Leadership in Medical Education Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Health Foresight and Innovation Research Center, Health Services Management Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Department of Health Management, Policy and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Takian
- Department of Health Management, Policy and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Department of Global Health and Public Policy, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Health Equity Research Centre (HERC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Tara
- Department of Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Meyerheim M, Burns-Gebhart A, Mirzaie K, Garani-Papadatos T, Braun Y, Graf N. Challenges and Pitfalls for Implementing Digital Health Solutions in Clinical Studies in Europe. Front Digit Health 2021; 3:730680. [PMID: 34713200 PMCID: PMC8521796 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2021.730680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing number of digital solutions developed for use in clinical health care settings is accompanied by new challenges to develop and conduct clinical studies that include eHealth technologies. Clinical study implementation plans often disregard or underestimate the necessity of additional administrative and logistic tasks required at clinical sites as well as ethical aspects to test digital solutions. Experiences made in the run-up of an observational clinical feasibility study at three international clinical sites in the framework of the MyPal project (https://mypal-project.eu/) result in recommendations to avoid delays and barriers in the planning of such prospective studies in clinical and also palliative care for increased efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Meyerheim
- Clinic of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Saarland University Hospital and Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Anna Burns-Gebhart
- Clinic for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kasra Mirzaie
- Clinic for Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Tina Garani-Papadatos
- Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
| | - Yvonne Braun
- Clinic of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Saarland University Hospital and Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Norbert Graf
- Clinic of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Saarland University Hospital and Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
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Yao R, Zhang W, Evans R, Cao G, Rui T, Shen L. Inequities in Healthcare Services Caused by the Adoption of Digital Health Technologies: A Scoping Review (Preprint). J Med Internet Res 2021; 24:e34144. [PMID: 35311682 PMCID: PMC8981004 DOI: 10.2196/34144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yao
- School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenli Zhang
- School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Richard Evans
- Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Guang Cao
- School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tianqi Rui
- School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lining Shen
- School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
- Hubei Provincial Research Center for Health Technology Assessment, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Smart Health, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, China
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Feroz AS, Valliani K, Khwaja H, Karim S. Exploring digital health interventions to support community health workers in low-and-middle-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e053871. [PMID: 34561263 PMCID: PMC8474078 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION COVID-19 has significantly affected community health workers' (CHWs) performance as they are expected to perform pandemic-related tasks along with routine essential healthcare services. A plausible way to optimise CHWs' functioning during this pandemic is to couple the efforts of CHWs with digital tools. So far, no systematic evidence is available on the use of digital health interventions to support CHWs in low-middle-income countries (LMICs) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The article describes a protocol for a scoping review of primary research studies that aim to map evidence on the use of unique digital health interventions to support CHWs during COVID-19 in LMICs. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Our methodology has been adapted from scoping review guidelines provided by Arksey and O'Malley, Levac et al. and the Joanna Briggs Institute. Our search strategy has been developed for the following four main electronic databases: Excerpta Medica Database, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Google Scholar and reference tracking will be used for supplementary searches. Each article will be screened against eligibility criteria by two independent researchers at the title and abstract and full-text level. The review will include studies that targeted digital health interventions at CHWs' level to provide support in delivering COVID-19-related and other essential healthcare services. A date limit of 31 December 2019 to the present date will be placed on the search and English language articles will be included. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Formal ethical approval is not required, as primary data will not be collected in this study. The results from our scoping review will provide valuable insight into the use of digital health interventions to optimise CHWs' functioning and will reveal current knowledge gaps in research. The results will be disseminated through journal publications and conference presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anam Shahil Feroz
- Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Komal Valliani
- Aga Khan Development Network Digital Health Resource Centre, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Hajra Khwaja
- Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sehrish Karim
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
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Abstract
Telemedicine represents an area of rapid growth in anesthesiology. Remote preoperative evaluation is associated with high patient and physician satisfaction scores, reduced patient travel and wait times, and similar procedure cancellation rates compared with in-person clinic evaluation. Preoperative tele-evaluation has facilitated a return to normal function during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Intraoperatively, remote vital sign monitoring and telecommunications technology combined with a care team model allows provision of expert care in areas experiencing a shortage of anesthesiologists. Virtual intensive care units provide overflow capability for postoperative patients, whereas patient smartphones can reduce the need for in-person evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Harter Bridges
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 25 Courtenay Drive, Suite 4200, MSC 240, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
| | - Julie Ryan McSwain
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 25 Courtenay Drive, Suite 4200, MSC 240, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
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Topaz M, Peltonen LM, Mitchell J, Alhuwail D, Barakati SS, Lewis A, Moen H, Veeranki SPK, Block L, Risling T, Ronquillo C. How to Improve Information Technology to Support Healthcare to Address the COVID-19 Pandemic: an International Survey with Health Informatics Experts. Yearb Med Inform 2021; 30:61-68. [PMID: 33882605 PMCID: PMC8416206 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1726491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To identify the ways in which healthcare information and communication technologies can be improved to address the challenges raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS The study population included health informatics experts who had been involved with the planning, development and deployment of healthcare information and communication technologies in healthcare settings in response to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected via an online survey. A non-probability convenience sampling strategy was employed. Data were analyzed with content analysis. RESULTS A total of 65 participants from 16 countries responded to the conducted survey. The four major themes regarding recommended improvements identified from the content analysis included: improved technology availability, improved interoperability, intuitive user interfaces and adoption of standards of care. Respondents also identified several key healthcare information and communication technologies that can help to provide better healthcare to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, including telehealth, advanced software, electronic health records, remote work technologies (e.g., remote desktop computer access), and clinical decision support tools. CONCLUSIONS Our results help to identify several important healthcare information and communication technologies, recommended by health informatics experts, which can help to provide better care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results also highlight the need for improved interoperability, intuitive user interfaces and advocating the adoption of standards of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Topaz
- School of Nursing, Columbia University, New York, USA
| | | | - James Mitchell
- School of Computing and Mathematics, Keele University, UK
| | - Dari Alhuwail
- Information Science Department, Kuwait University, Kuwait
- Health Informatics Unit, Dasman Diabetes Institute, Kuwait
| | | | | | - Hans Moen
- Department of Future Technologies, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Sai Pavan Kumar Veeranki
- Health & Bioresources/Molecular Diagnostics, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Graz, Austria
- Technical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Lori Block
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tracie Risling
- College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Charlene Ronquillo
- Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Gelinas L, Morrell W, White SA, Bierer BE. Navigating the ethics of remote research data collection. Clin Trials 2021; 18:606-614. [PMID: 34231414 DOI: 10.1177/17407745211027245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 has accelerated broad trends already in place toward remote research data collection and monitoring. This move implicates novel ethical and regulatory challenges which have not yet received due attention. Existing work is preliminary and does not seek to identify or grapple with the issues in a rigorous and sophisticated way. Here, we provide a framework for identifying and addressing challenges that we believe can help the research community realize the benefits of remote technologies while preserving ethical ideals and public trust. We organize issues into several distinct categories and provide points to consider in a table that can help facilitate ethical design and review of research studies using remote health instruments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Gelinas
- Advarra IRB, Columbia, MD, USA.,Multi-Regional Clinical Trials Center of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Walker Morrell
- Multi-Regional Clinical Trials Center of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sarah A White
- Multi-Regional Clinical Trials Center of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Barbara E Bierer
- Multi-Regional Clinical Trials Center of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.,Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Wang XV, Wang L. A literature survey of the robotic technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic. JOURNAL OF MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS 2021; 60:823-836. [PMID: 33612914 PMCID: PMC7881735 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmsy.2021.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Since the late 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has been spread all around the world. The pandemic is a critical challenge to the health and safety of the general public, the medical staff and the medical systems worldwide. It has been globally proposed to utilise robots during the pandemic, to improve the treatment of patients and leverage the load of the medical system. However, there is still a lack of detailed and systematic review of the robotic research for the pandemic, from the technologies' perspective. Thus a thorough literature survey is conducted in this research and more than 280 publications have been reviewed, with the focus on robotics during the pandemic. The main contribution of this literature survey is to answer two research questions, i.e. 1) what the main research contributions are to combat the pandemic from the robotic technologies' perspective, and 2) what the promising supporting technologies are needed during and after the pandemic to help and guide future robotics research. The current achievements of robotic technologies are reviewed and discussed in different categories, followed by the identification of the representative work's technology readiness level. The future research trends and essential technologies are then highlighted, including artificial intelligence, 5 G, big data, wireless sensor network, and human-robot collaboration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Vincent Wang
- Department of Production Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
| | - Lihui Wang
- Department of Production Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
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Assiri AH, Mahnashi NA, Alkhttabi NF, Alqahtani KM, Alqahtani MS, Alhajri MA. The Modality Preferred by Population of Health Services Provided During COVID-19 and Assessment of Satisfaction Among Adults in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Cureus 2021; 13:e16190. [PMID: 34367796 PMCID: PMC8336729 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.16190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a great transition in the modalities of health care services, such as the telemedicine landscape, with some speed. Because of the lack of vaccines or effective therapies, social distancing and quarantine were the only widely accessible precautions, creating a compelling reason for alternatives for in-person care. Many countries applied teleconsultation or provided online applications during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is not currently known whether this available service has satisfied the patients' needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim To detect the preferred modality of health services by the Saudi population during COVID-19 and to assess the satisfaction with respect to the provided health services in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional approach was used targeting all accessible populations in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from participants using an electronic pre-structured questionnaire. The tool covered participants' socio-demographic data, participants' medical and family history, COVID-19 infection, health problems during the pandemic, received services, modalities of available services, and their satisfaction regarding the provided health service. Results A total of 2102 participants completed the study questionnaire. Exactly 773 (36.8%) respondents had a health problem during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most-reported modality of health services used was calling the 937 number, which is call center of the Ministry of Health (34.7%), followed by using health applications to get an appointment (33.9%). Also, 447 (88.7%) participants reported that the provided medical services were helpful. Regarding their satisfaction, 156 (31%) were just satisfied with the provided services and 280 (55.6%) were highly satisfied. Conclusions In conclusion, the current study showed a high level of public satisfaction regarding different modalities of health services provided during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. This satisfaction was moderately high among telehealth users and those who had hospital visits for health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amer H Assiri
- Internal Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, SAU
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Characteristics of U.S. Acute Care Hospitals That Have Implemented Telemedicine Critical Care. Crit Care Explor 2021; 3:e0468. [PMID: 34235456 PMCID: PMC8245115 DOI: 10.1097/cce.0000000000000468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. OBJECTIVES: Telemedicine critical care is associated with improved efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness. As of 2010, fewer than 5% of U.S. hospitals had telemedicine critical care, and fewer than 10% of ICU beds were covered. We evaluated recent telemedicine critical care implementation and bed coverage rates in the United States and compared characteristics of hospitals with and without telemedicine critical care. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of 2018 American Hospital Association Annual Survey Database. SETTING: U.S. hospitals. PATIENTS: None. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We obtained data regarding telemedicine critical care implementation, ICU capability (defined as ≥ 1 ICU bed), other hospital characteristics, and the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, a measure of ICU market competition based on hospital referral regions. Among 4,396 hospitals (response rate 71%), 788 (17.9%) had telemedicine critical care, providing potential coverage to 27,624 (28% of total) ICU beds. Among 306 hospital referral regions, 197 (64%) had a respondent hospital with telemedicine critical care. Telemedicine critical care implementation was associated with being a nonprofit (odds ratio, 7.75; 95% CI, 5.18–11.58) or public (odds ratio, 4.16 [2.57–6.73]) compared with for-profit hospital; membership in a health system (odds ratio, 3.83 [2.89–5.08]; stroke telemedicine presence (odds ratio, 6.87 [5.35–8.81]); ICU capability (odds ratio, 1.68 [1.25–2.26]); and more competitive ICU markets (odds ratio per 1,000-point decrease in Herfindahl-Hirschman Index 1.11 [1.01–1.22]). Notably, rural critical access hospitals had lower odds of telemedicine critical care implementation (odds ratio, 0.49 [0.34–0.70]). Teaching status, geographic region, and rurality were not associated with telemedicine critical care implementation. CONCLUSIONS: About one fifth of respondent hospitals had telemedicine critical care by 2018, providing potential coverage of nearly one third of reported ICU beds. This represents a substantial increase in telemedicine critical care implementation over the last decade. Future expansion to include more rural hospitals that could benefit most may be aided by addressing hospital financial and market barriers to telemedicine critical care implementation.
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Pieczynski J, Kuklo P, Grzybowski A. The Role of Telemedicine, In-Home Testing and Artificial Intelligence to Alleviate an Increasingly Burdened Healthcare System: Diabetic Retinopathy. Ophthalmol Ther 2021; 10:445-464. [PMID: 34156632 PMCID: PMC8217784 DOI: 10.1007/s40123-021-00353-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In the presence of the ever-increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM), the prevalence of diabetic eye disease (DED) is also growing. Despite many improvements in diabetic care, DM remains a leading cause of visual impairment in working-age patients. So far, prevention has been the best way to protect vision. The sooner we diagnose DED, the more effective the treatment is. Thus, diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening, especially with imaging techniques, is a method of choice for vision protection. To alleviate the burden of diabetic patients who need ophthalmic care, telemedicine and in-home testing are used, supported by artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. This is why we decided to evaluate current image teleophthalmology methods used for DR screening. We searched the PubMed platform for papers published over the last 5 years (2015–2020) using the following key words: telemedicine in diabetic retinopathy screening, diabetic retinopathy screening, automated diabetic retinopathy screening, artificial intelligence in diabetic retinopathy screening, smartphone diabetic retinopathy testing. We have included 118 original articles meeting the above criteria, discussing imaging diabetic retinopathy screening methods. We have found that fundus cameras, stable or mobile, are most commonly used for retinal photography, with portable fundus cameras also relatively common. Other possibilities involve the use of ultra-wide-field (UWF) imaging and even optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices for DR screening. Also, the role of smartphones is increasingly recognized in the field. Retinal fundus images are assessed by humans instantly or remotely, while AI algorithms seem to be useful tools facilitating retinal image assessment. The common use of smartphones and availability of relatively cheap, easy-to-use adapters for retinal photographs augmented by AI algorithms make it possible for eye fundus photographs to be taken by non-specialists and in non-medical setting. This opens the way for in-home testing conducted on a much larger scale in the future. In conclusion, based on current DR screening techniques, we can suggest that the future practice of eye care specialists will be widely supported by AI algorithms, and this way will be more effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janusz Pieczynski
- Chair of Ophthalmology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Zolnierska 18, 10-561, Olsztyn, Poland. .,The Voivodal Specialistic Hospital in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Patrycja Kuklo
- Chair of Ophthalmology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Zolnierska 18, 10-561, Olsztyn, Poland.,The Voivodal Specialistic Hospital in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Andrzej Grzybowski
- Chair of Ophthalmology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Zolnierska 18, 10-561, Olsztyn, Poland.,Institute for Research in Ophthalmology, Poznan, Poland, Gorczyczewskiego 2/3, 61-553, Poznan, Poland
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Technology and Disasters: The Evolution of the National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network. Crit Care Med 2021; 49:1007-1014. [PMID: 34135273 DOI: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000005001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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43
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Alhasan M, Hasaneen M. Digital imaging, technologies and artificial intelligence applications during COVID-19 pandemic. Comput Med Imaging Graph 2021; 91:101933. [PMID: 34082281 PMCID: PMC8123377 DOI: 10.1016/j.compmedimag.2021.101933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The advancement of technology remained an immersive interest for humankind throughout the past decades. Tech enterprises offered a stream of innovation to address the universal healthcare concerns. The novel coronavirus holds a substantial foothold of planet earth which is combatted by digital interventions across afflicted geographical boundaries and territories. This study aims to explore the trends of modern healthcare technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) during COVID-19 crisis, define the concepts and clinical role of AI in the mitigation of COVID-19, investigate and correlate the efficacy of AI-enabled technology in medical imaging during COVID-19 and determine advantages, drawbacks, and challenges of artificial intelligence during COVID-19 pandemic. The paper applied systematic review approach using a deliberated research protocol and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow chart. Digital technologies can coordinate COVID-19 responses in a cascade fashion that extends from the clinical care facility to the exterior of the pending viral epicenter. With cases of healthcare robotics, aerial drones, and the internet of things as evidentiary examples. PCR tests and medical imaging are the frontier diagnostics of COVID-19. Computed tomography helped to correct the accuracy variation of PCR tests at a clinical sensitivity of 98 %. Artificial intelligence can enable autonomous COVID-19 responses using techniques like machine learning. Technology could be an endless system of innovation and opportunities when sourced effectively. Scientists can utilize technology to resolve global concerns challenging the history of tangible possibility. Digital interventions have enhanced the responses to COVID-19, magnified the role of medical imaging amid the COVID-19 crisis and have exposed healthcare professionals to the opportunity of contactless care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Alhasan
- Radiography and Medical Imaging Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates; Radiologic Technology Program, Applied Medical Sciences College, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan.
| | - Mohamed Hasaneen
- Radiography and Medical Imaging Department, Fatima College of Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates.
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Hesami Arani M, Moslemzadeh M, Fallahzadeh O, Khorvash H, Dakhilpour M, Mohammadzadeh M. Assessment of COVID-19 control strategies in a steel industry using a SWOT matrix. Toxicol Ind Health 2021; 37:353-364. [PMID: 33973821 DOI: 10.1177/07482337211013319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
According to the health regulations, industrial environments due to the gathering of people are considered as one of the highest-risk places during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, planning with regard to health concerns can decisively help in infection control and continuity of businesses during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the COVID-19 control management measures in the Sepid-farab Kavir Steel Complex (SKS complex) located in Isfahan province (Iran) using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) matrix. After a literature review and field surveys, all weak, strong, threatening, and opportunity points were collected and were listed using the internal factor evaluation (IFE) and external factor evaluation (EFE) matrices and then were prioritized and weighted. Next, given the sum of scores of IFE and EFE, the SWOT matrix was constructed, the disease prevention and control strategies in the complex was determined, and finally, experts proposed corrective measures to improve the current situation. The results of the IFE matrix (IFE) analysis showed that in terms of corona control, there are more weaknesses than strengths within the company (the score of this matrix was 201.12). Also the score of 165 on the EFE matrix indicated that external threats were predominant, compared to external opportunities of company. SWOT analysis showed that despite some external problems and challenges, the existence of a favorable internal decision-making system had an important role in developing appropriate health strategies and implementing effective prevention measures in SKS complex against the COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Hesami Arani
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Student Research Committee, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehrdad Moslemzadeh
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | | | - Mahdiyeh Mohammadzadeh
- Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Research Center, and Department of Environment Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
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R Niakan Kalhori S, Bahaadinbeigy K, Deldar K, Gholamzadeh M, Hajesmaeel-Gohari S, Ayyoubzadeh SM. Digital Health Solutions to Control the COVID-19 Pandemic in Countries With High Disease Prevalence: Literature Review. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e19473. [PMID: 33600344 PMCID: PMC7951053 DOI: 10.2196/19473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has become a global pandemic, affecting most countries worldwide. Digital health information technologies can be applied in three aspects, namely digital patients, digital devices, and digital clinics, and could be useful in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE Recent reviews have examined the role of digital health in controlling COVID-19 to identify the potential of digital health interventions to fight the disease. However, this study aims to review and analyze the digital technology that is being applied to control the COVID-19 pandemic in the 10 countries with the highest prevalence of the disease. METHODS For this review, the Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched in August 2020 to retrieve publications from December 2019 to March 15, 2020. Furthermore, the Google search engine was used to identify additional applications of digital health for COVID-19 pandemic control. RESULTS We included 32 papers in this review that reported 37 digital health applications for COVID-19 control. The most common digital health projects to address COVID-19 were telemedicine visits (11/37, 30%). Digital learning packages for informing people about the disease, geographic information systems and quick response code applications for real-time case tracking, and cloud- or mobile-based systems for self-care and patient tracking were in the second rank of digital tool applications (all 7/37, 19%). The projects were deployed in various European countries and in the United States, Australia, and China. CONCLUSIONS Considering the potential of available information technologies worldwide in the 21st century, particularly in developed countries, it appears that more digital health products with a higher level of intelligence capability remain to be applied for the management of pandemics and health-related crises.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kambiz Bahaadinbeigy
- Modeling in Health Research Center, Institute for Future Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Kolsoum Deldar
- School of Paramedicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
| | - Marsa Gholamzadeh
- Department of Health Information Management, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sadrieh Hajesmaeel-Gohari
- Medical Informatics Research Center, Institute for Futures Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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Vandenberg O, Martiny D, Rochas O, van Belkum A, Kozlakidis Z. Considerations for diagnostic COVID-19 tests. Nat Rev Microbiol 2021; 19:171-183. [PMID: 33057203 PMCID: PMC7556561 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-020-00461-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 447] [Impact Index Per Article: 149.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
During the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, design, development, validation, verification and implementation of diagnostic tests were actively addressed by a large number of diagnostic test manufacturers. Hundreds of molecular tests and immunoassays were rapidly developed, albeit many still await clinical validation and formal approval. In this Review, we summarize the crucial role of diagnostic tests during the first global wave of COVID-19. We explore the technical and implementation problems encountered during this early phase in the pandemic, and try to define future directions for the progressive and better use of (syndromic) diagnostics during a possible resurgence of COVID-19 in future global waves or regional outbreaks. Continuous global improvement in diagnostic test preparedness is essential for more rapid detection of patients, possibly at the point of care, and for optimized prevention and treatment, in both industrialized countries and low-resource settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Vandenberg
- Innovation and Business Development Unit, Laboratoire Hospitalier Universtaire de Bruxelles - Universitair Laboratorium Brussel, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
- Center for Environmental Health and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
- Division of Infection and Immunity, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Delphine Martiny
- Department of Microbiology, Laboratoire Hospitalier Universtaire de Bruxelles - Universitair Laboratorium Brussel, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Olivier Rochas
- Strategic Intelligence, Corporate Business Development, bioMérieux, Chemin de L'Orme, France
| | - Alex van Belkum
- Open Innovation and Partnerships, bioMérieux, La Balme Les Grottes, France.
| | - Zisis Kozlakidis
- Laboratory Services and Biobank Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, Lyon, France
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Yang S, Chen Y, Zhou L, Huang Y, Dai J. Willingness to Adopt mHealth Among Chinese Parents During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Cross-sectional Questionnaire Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2021; 9:e23155. [PMID: 33406052 PMCID: PMC7843007 DOI: 10.2196/23155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Parental involvement in mobile health (mHealth) to consult with medical professionals appears to be prevalent in China with the rapid development of the internet. More parents with busy jobs have chosen to use mHealth. During the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, mHealth can assist with health promotion, directions for medication use, and disease diagnosis via online chat and video consultation without contacting others. To our knowledge, no studies have been performed to explore the role of mHealth in parents’ attitudes toward child health care at home during the COVID-19 outbreak. Objective This study aims to identify the associated factors of willingness to adopt mHealth among Chinese parents during the COVID-19 outbreak and to explore the correlation between the frequency of adopting mHealth and parents’ attitudes toward child health care at home. Methods Chinese parents were asked to complete an online survey from January 25 to February 15, 2020. The questionnaire comprised of two parts with a total of 16 items, including parents’ demographic variables and attitudes toward child health care at home. By multivariate logistic regression, we explored factors associated with parents’ willingness to adopt mHealth during the COVID-19 outbreak. Pearson chi-square tests were used to reveal the correlation between the frequency of adopting mHealth and parents’ attitudes toward child health care at home. Results A total of 254 parents enrolled, and 202 (79.5%) parents were willing to adopt mHealth during the COVID-19 outbreak. Parents’ age (26-35 years: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 8.114, 95% CI 1.471-44.764), parents’ interest in the COVID-19 pandemic (moderate: AOR 8.753, 95% CI 2.009-38.127; high: AOR 22.194, 95% CI 5.509-89.411), the source that recommended mHealth (medical health providers: AOR 4.257, 95% CI 1.439-12.596), the presence of chronic disease in their children (yes: AOR 20.844, 95% CI 4.600-94.443), parents’ duration of daily internet use (4-6 hours: AOR 6.487, 95% CI 1.870-22.495; >6 hours: AOR 8.766, 95% CI 1.883-40.804), and adoption of mHealth before the COVID-19 outbreak (yes: AOR 3.413, 95% CI 1.234-9.444) were significantly correlated with the parents’ willingness to adopt mHealth during the COVID-19 outbreak. The frequency of mHealth use among parents was correlated with their behaviors in regard to handwashing (χ26=18.967, P=.004), mask wearing (χ26=45.364, P<.001), frequency of leaving the home (χ26=16.767, P=.01), room disinfection and ventilation (χ26=19.515, P=.003), temperature checking (χ26=17.47, P=.007), and mental health care of children (χ26=63.810, P<.001) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions We found various objective factors that were associated with parents’ willingness to adopt mHealth during the COVID-19 outbreak. Overall, parents’ willingness to adopt mHealth was high. The frequency of mHealth use among parents was correlated with their attitudes toward child health care at home. The option of mHealth to patients at home during the COVID-19 outbreak would be beneficial for education and improvement in self-management of child health care at home.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Yang
- Nursing Department, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yijing Chen
- Wuhan Mental Health Center-affiliated Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Leshan Zhou
- Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yuting Huang
- Xiangya Nursing School, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiahui Dai
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Matsumoto ME, Wilske GC, Tapia R. Innovative Approaches to Delivering Telehealth. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am 2021; 32:451-465. [PMID: 33814069 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmr.2020.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Matsumoto
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, 1 Veterans Drive, Mail Stop 117, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Grace C Wilske
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, 1 Veterans Drive, Mail Stop 117, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA
| | - Rebecca Tapia
- South Texas Veterans Healthcare System, 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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Banerjee I, Robinson J, Kashyap A, Mohabeer P, Sathian B. COVID-19 and Artificial Intelligence: the pandemic pacifier. Nepal J Epidemiol 2020; 10:919-922. [PMID: 33495709 PMCID: PMC7812328 DOI: 10.3126/nje.v10i4.33334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 remains a threat to the entire world. In an attempt to curb its spread and facilitate its treatment, the technological tool that is Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being researched as a potential alternative to conventional methods. Industrial Revolution 4.0 marks the dawn to the combination of digital, physical and biological systems, by application of digital skills such as Blockchain, Internet of things, Artificial Intelligence and Big data. AI tools in SARS-COV-2 pandemic are highly competitive to human performance, such as rapid screening and diagnosis of the disease, surveilling the efficacy of the treatment, keeping record and depicting active cases and mortality, inventions of medications and vaccines, relieving the workload of healthcare workers and extinguishing the spread of the disease. Contact tracing platforms like Aarogya Setu App, implemented by the Government of India, Australian Government's COVID Safe app, Trace Together- a Bluetooth-based contact tracing app developed in Singapore; based on syndromic mapping/surveillance technology. Artificial intelligence will become a mainstay in both the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 as well as similar pandemics in future. The application and system development will be challenging; the accuracy and rapidity of its use far outweigh this drawback. The current global technological leaders have proven that the retro modification of current data systems and applications have been indispensable in the war on COVID-19, thus permanently securing their development and application in future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jared Robinson
- Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Belle Rive, Mauritius
| | - Abhishek Kashyap
- Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Medical College, Belle Rive, Mauritius
| | | | - Brijesh Sathian
- Geriatric and long term care Department, Rumailah Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
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Seckman C, Van de Castle B. Understanding Digital Health Technologies Using Mind Maps. J Nurs Scholarsh 2020; 53:7-15. [PMID: 33259152 DOI: 10.1111/jnu.12611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this project was to explore digital health technologies in the healthcare environment through the use of concept and mind mapping tools in a graduate level informatics practicum course. DESIGN This descriptive course evaluation project was conducted at a large university school of nursing during the 2019-2020 academic year and included a convenience sample of 163 doctor of nursing practice students. METHODS Students completed four major deliverables exploring digital health technologies and data sources using mind maps. Project goals were evaluated using detailed rubrics and data from a course evaluation questionnaire (CEQ) then analyzed using descriptive statistics. Comments from the CEQ and reflection documents were reviewed for themes and validated by two experts. FINDINGS The variety and creativity of the mind maps along with student comments indicated their ability to apply critical thinking skills to the specific content and technologies being examined. Overall CEQ mean scores were high (M = 4.35), indicating that the mind mapping deliverables were logical, relevant, appropriate, and meaningful to learning. CONCLUSIONS Nurse educators and healthcare professionals should consider using mind mapping techniques because this venue allows for expanded understanding of the complexities of the healthcare environment and integration of related digital health technologies. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The recent pandemic highlighted the necessity for new technologies to continue providing patient care services. Mind maps are a fast and economical tool for understanding and prioritizing the needs of an organization as well as a unique teaching strategy to promote critical thinking and sharing of ideas related to digital health technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Seckman
- Sigma Pi, Associate Professor, Nursing Informatics Program, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Barbara Van de Castle
- Sigma Pi, Assistant Professor, Nursing Informatics Program, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
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